Come Morning Light
by dreamfandomist
Summary: Doubts about herself emerges again and Elsie finds love and reassurance from Charles while away on honeymoon.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not obtain any economical benefit out of them.**

The morning sun danced across the window and filled the hotel room. The flickers of golden light played on the dark shades of the furniture and the warmth of a summer morning slowly crept inside.

Elsie lazily opened one eye registering the bursting light around her and then slowly the other as her eyes adjusted to the brilliant light that surrounded her and invaded her eyes which were still not ready to gauge the surroundings. An involuntary yawn escaped her and a blissful smile dawned on her lips. At the Abbey, by this time, she would be well up and about and almost a quarter of her waking day gone. On most days she would wake up even earlier than the kitchen maid who knocked on all the doors of the women's corridor at 6 in the morning. To Elsie who always woke up before the sun, _this _was a luxury. Waking up with the sun greeting her was truly a rare indulgence. She raised her head slightly only to notice that it was resting on Charles' chest with his hand around her back. _Her naked back!_ She registered quite shyly.

Her honeymoon was everything she never imagined to be. _Of course she had imagined about it, for… well… roughly for around twenty years maybe! _But she couldn't imagine the heavenly and blissful experience to do justice to what it is was in reality. _To be with Charles _she added in her mind, smiling down at her gentle giant of a husband.

Despite Charles saying that in his eyes she was beautiful, she was still insecure about what she was like. She was shy and afraid but with Charles reassuring _to her _(and not to Mrs Patmore) she couldn't help but believe him. Remembering the happenings of the last night, Elsie blushed a deep shade of red. She was utterly inexperienced (of course she knew about it, she grew up on farm! She was not a woman of the world but she didn't live in a sack) and totally relied on Charles. She always knew he would make her happy too instead of only thinking about himself but she could never have prepared herself for the amount of affection he showered upon her. Elsie allowed a deep sigh to escape her and with it felt Charles stirring from his sleep.

She waited for him to fully wake up, her head still on his chest. She watched his eyes flutter open. Elsie couldn't help but think how adorable he looked when he was asleep.

"Good morning love," he said as he watched her studying him eagerly.

"Good morning," she replied a bit shyly, as he placed a tiny kiss on to her hair. This small gesture was enough to get Elsie flustered, given the happenings of the night before. She quickly rose her head from Charles' chest and leaned against the headboard of the bed clutching the bed sheet to her chest, her auburn curls fanning out around her shoulders. Charles raised himself on his elbows and looked at her, smiling. Elsie felt awkward and slightly embarrassed and broke their gaze and looked away but with a smile on her face. She heard Charles raise himself to lay against the headboard. The sheets rustled a bit making Elsie's heart beat to increase a bit, not racing as it was last night.

She felt his gaze on her and she suddenly felt very shy. Still she couldn't get herself to look him in the eye. It was daylight and without the darkness to envelope whatever flaws of her, what would he now think of her? Would he be disappointed with her in the light of the day? Would he think himself to be saddled with an old woman who wasn't what he wanted?

Charles looked at the half terrified half embarrassed form of Elsie in front of his eyes. He guessed she must be doubting herself. About herself in his eyes. But he also feared that she might be doubting the choice she made of having him as her husband. What would she think of her? Would she think herself to be saddled with an old man who wasn't what she wanted?

Pushing fears aside, he reached out his hand and touched her chin, gently turning her head towards him. Her eyes still looked downwards at the crumpled sheets and he watched her clench the hand that held the sheet to her chest even more tightly. It was more likely to be her insecurities about herself, he guessed having observed this movement.

"Elsie?" he whispered softly and it was only then that she raised her eyes to his. He sank into the depths of her eyes. But he noticed that there was a slight fear in them. Almost looking like a training housemaid waiting for the Housekeeper to give the verdict about her performance. He bit back a giggle thinking that she was the one usually the giving the verdict but now she was the one with fear in her eyes.

"You are so beautiful," he said, raising his voice to a slightly louder volume.

She smiled but immediately bit her bottom lip. She didn't seem to believe him. She knew he was an honest man but… That was how it all ended in her mind. With a "but…"

"I doubt you'd find me so in the daylight," she looked down immediately.

"How many times have I told you so Elsie? By now you must surely believe me," he replied softly but seeing that Elsie still had her eyes turned down, her head bent low, he reached out and placed one of his hands on her hand that was clutching the bed sheet to her chest. A spark few through her body and she gasped. Charles was delighted to hear her make that sound and to think that it was his touch that made her lose her equilibrium so sweetly made him ecstatic.

He unclenched her fist that had bunched the top of the bed sheet within it and lightly laced his fingers with hers. But she still managed to keep the bed sheet in place. This made him smile. Elsie certainly could still manage to get her own way through things, he thought. But not for long. At least not concerning the false doubts she had created in her mind. The image of her that she had in her mind, which was much far from what it was in reality.

"Look at me love," he said softly yet sharply. Quite startled by the sudden sharpness in his voice, she looked up.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You are _my beautiful woman_! You know I'm not very good with words but all what I want to say can be summarised into this. You are so beautiful beyond words and I love you," he finished and the deep brown of his dark eyes pierced her blue depths.

"And I love you too Charles," she said in a voice that was almost a whisper and her voice cracking when spoke his first name. She loved how intimate it felt to call him Charles after decades of Mr Carson. _Her Charles. _

"May I?" he asked softly and she nodded timidly. Charles was amused by her timid look. Elsie Hughes was her own woman almost always and confidence bubbled in her but when it came to the more intimate details of their marriage, he was the forward one. He gently lifted her hand at her chest and placed it by her side and slowly took the top of the sheet in his hands. He looked deep into her eyes and the soft sigh she let out and the warmth in her eyes were all the answers he needed.

He dragged the sheet down till it reached her knees, his eyes following the trail of the sheet and Elsie felt as if she was burning alive. A fire lit in the depth of the soul. Charles watched the morning light play beautifully across his wife, a sight that he knew he would never tire of seeing.

"Beautiful," he whispered and placed a hand gently at the base of her neck and let it trail along the front of her body. Their eyes locked together. The feelings inside her, Elsie couldn't contain anymore. The adoration and love of her husband toward her was something she never expected to be so immense. She loved him with all of her heart. But she couldn't believe that he loved her just as much as she did, maybe even more.

And for the first time, Elsie reached for her husband. She turned slightly placing a hand on his thigh and reached up to his face, her lips touching his for a gentle and slow kiss with which she hoped that she could pour into him all the love and devotion she had for him. In a matter of seconds Charles deepened the kiss, glad that his Elsie had found the confidence and fire that always burned within her, back again. That she loved and desired him as much as he did, maybe even more.

And the cheerful sunlight of Scarborough watched shyly as two lovers, who had loved each other for decades dancing a gentle dance with each other, fall even more in love. Their dance still beautiful. So enchanting that the sun couldn't help but whisper to the sea and the wind.

**A big thank you for all of you who took the time to read this fic. It was purely an experimental piece and I doubt how good (or satisfying : ) ) it would be. But my dear readers would be the judges of that. I would love to hear from you in the reviews. Thanks again. **


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